Villagers perform at Trump rally – after sending Trump cease-and-desist letter once

On By Littum

Upper line

Members of the Village People performed their signature song, “YMCA,” at President-elect Donald Trump’s rally late Sunday ahead of his inauguration — a move after the band’s manager once objected to Trump’s habit of playing its music.

Key facts

Trump did his signature dance move as band members performed after Trump spoke at the “victory rally” at Capital One Arena in Washington ahead of his inauguration on Monday.

Trump spoke about TikTok’s return, about 14 hours after it took itself offline as a result of a nationwide ban on Sunday, and outlined some of the executive orders he plans to sign on Monday, including those aimed at border security and the release of former classified government documents.

The Village People’s performance at the Trump rally underscores his political comeback, even among his one-time enemies — its manager Karen Willis, wife of band member Victor Willis, sent Trump’s lawyer a cease-and-desist letter after he was filmed dancing to ” Macho Man ” at Mar-A-Lago in 2023, Rolling Stone reported.

Their song “YMCA” has since become a staple at Trump’s events.

The performances are “not an endorsement (sic) of the president-elect’s policies,” band member Victor Willis wrote on Facebook last week, defending their decision to accept the performance invitation, explaining that their preferred candidate was Kamala Harris, who Willis said “would have chosen people like John Legend and Beyonce etc..” to perform.

Willis said that if Trump “does things to limit LGBTQ rights, the Village People will be the first to speak out,” while also noting that Trump has “done a lot for the Village people lately,” pointing to his love for the “YMCA” that pushed on. “the song at #1 for 5 weeks on a Billboard Chart.”

Crucial quote

“When the sun goes down tomorrow night, the invasion of our borders will have stopped and all the illegal border trespassers will be on their way home in one form or another,” Trump said, teasing an executive order he expected. to sign on Monday.

What to look for

The Village People – the ’70s disco band named after the Greenwich Village neighborhood in midtown Manhattan – are expected to perform again at opening night on Sunday and Monday. Carrie Underwood is scheduled to perform “America the Beautiful” shortly before Trump takes the oath of office on Monday. Country singer Lee Greenwood, who performed Sunday, will also sing at the swearing-in ceremony.

Key background

Trump’s inauguration day officially begins Monday morning with a service in St. John’s in Washington, and his swearing-in is scheduled for approximately 12 EST. The Village People are among several former Trump critics who will attend the inaugural events, marking a momentary acknowledgment of Trump’s election victory that essentially ended his legal troubles and gave Republicans a governing trifecta of control of the House, Senate and The White House. Former presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama will attend Monday’s ceremony, along with several tech billionaires, including Trump confidant Elon Musk, who also took the stage at Sunday’s rally.

Further reading

Trump inauguration: Here’s what to know about tomorrow’s schedule, guest list, weather, performers and more (Forbes)

All the Big Artists at Trump’s Inaugural Events: Carrie Underwood, Village People, Nelly And More (Forbes)